Riviera police: Filthy conditions found at home lead to couple’s arrest

Six children were removed from a Riviera Beach apartment and two adults were arrested last week after investigators found drugs and filthy living conditions there, city police said.

Police arrested Demetrius Paulk, 30, and Zekia Walker, 26, Thursday on multiple charges, including six counts of child neglect. According to police reports, undercover detectives conducting controlled drug buys at an apartment requested a warrant after several small children were observed playing while the drug transactions were taking place.

On Thursday, investigators entered a one-bedroom apartment and found five children ranging in age from 2 to 8 sleeping on an air mattress, while Paulk and Walker slept in a bed with an 11-month-old child.

Paulk, Walker and the children were removed from the apartment. Inside, investigators found numerous cockroaches as well as urine stains on the bed and air mattress, according to an arrest report.

Walker

Inside a refrigerator that appeared to be broken, there were living and dead cockroaches, stale and moldy food, and rat and mice dropping laying on the bottom, police said.

Investigators allegedly also found drug paraphernalia scattered throughout the apartment, and a small plastic bag containing marijuana. Police contacted the Florida Department of Children and Families and the children were turned over to the custody of a family member.

In addition to child neglect, Paulk and Walker both face drug-related charges. According to police, Paulk vomited several times while being processed at the Riviera Beach Port Center and appeared to have ingested cocaine.

He remained in custody Monday in lieu of $24,000 bail. Walker was released from the Palm Beach County Jail on $6,000 bail.